


Good Enough After All

by Sauric



Series: No Good [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, OMG WHY AM I WRITING SO MUCH FLUFF, Prom, Sickening Amounts of Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, all of the fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-08-08 07:02:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7747798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sauric/pseuds/Sauric
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As far as I'm concerned, the No Good 'verse is complete. I can't guarantee I won't ever add to it, but I really don't have any forthcoming plans, and I have other fics that need work.</p><p>Handsome Man by Matt Alber is an AMAZING song. Go listen to it!</p><p>Also, if you're wondering why Castiel's sign for Dean is science-themed, please read the previous two fics in this verse for a hint. Additionally, if you're wondering why Dean refers to Ellen as "Mom", please refer to the previous fic in this series.</p></blockquote>





	Good Enough After All

Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak had been dating for almost a year and a half now. Things were beyond good between them and their families--it turned out even Chuck liked Dean Winchester once he got to know the boy. And with senior year finally starting to wind down, that meant one thing: Prom.

The announcements to make nominations were daily, posters all over the walls advertising this year's theme. When Castiel found out that Dean was one of the nominees for Prom King, he just about lost it. They _had_ to go to prom now! If only to see Dean win! After all, he had a pretty good chance as quarterback and team captain, as well as pitcher for the baseball team. So when Castiel approached Dean about attending Prom, it was more than a bit of a shock when Dean had flat-out said he wasn't interested.

_Dean Winchester is stubborn._

When Charlie elbowed him playfully and asked him if he was planning on taking Castiel (because who else would he be taking), she was stunned when Dean replied, "I'm not taking anyone to Prom."

_Dean Winchester is pig-headed._

When Jo asked if Dean and Castiel would be willing to share a limo with her and some of their friends, it surprised her when Dean had barked at her, "I'm not going!"

_Dean Winchester is adamant._

When Benny nudged him and asked if he was planning on a boutonniere, it was a jolt to everyone when Dean shot to his feet and shouted in the middle of the lunch room, "Prom is stupid! I don't care, now will everyone just lay off?" before storming out of the lunch room.

_Dean Winchester is...hurting._

There had to be a reason why Dean was so against going to Prom. Dean was not the type to talk about his feelings--well, to be more accurate, Dean was good about expressing positive emotions, open, affectionate, and friendly. But negative emotions, Dean had the habit of shoving them down and trying to ignore them until one day it was too much and he would finally explode in a fit of anger, like he'd just done--which he would inevitably later apologize for.

Castiel knew not to take Dean's refusal to go to Prom personally--they had gone to every single school dance together since they had started dating. He knew Dean well enough to know Dean wasn't angry with him. No, he knew something else was bothering Dean. But that didn't change the fact that it _hurt_ . It felt like _rejection_. For a brief moment, Castiel had even entertained the thought that...no. No, he wasn't going to think about that.

Their classmates were accepting of same-sex relationships (barring assholes like Gordon and Alistair). School staff hadn't raised a fuss over it, either. Hell, Dean was elected Homecoming King in October, so Dean had a pretty good chance of being a shoe-in for Prom King! And after seeing so many stories on the news about schools going out of their way to elect students who had overcome terrible hardships in their lifetime, if anyone deserved it, it was Dean.

The problem would be pinning Dean down long enough to convince him to talk about what was going on.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The opportunity to finally get Dean to talk came up sooner than expected when the next weekend found Castiel and Dean lying on the couch, watching a movie together. It had been Castiel's turn to select a movie, and he picked, against all of Dean's suggestions “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days”. Despite Dean’s protests that he didn’t do “chick flicks”, however, he was soon quoting along with the movie, crowing “Bullshit!” with no Ellen there to scold him for language.

But within the span of a commercial break, the passing of one romantic jewelry advertisement, Dean went from content to sullen, pulling away from Castiel as he grabbed for the remote and switched the channel.

“Hey!” Castiel protested, twisting to reach for the remote.

“I’m done with this lame movie, Cas.”

“But it’s my turn to pick! You got to pick the last one, and I sat through it!” Castiel tried to crawl over Dean for the remote, narrowly missing kneeing him in the groin.

“I don’t want to watch this channel anymore!”

“God damn it, Dean, would you stop being such a--such an assbutt!” Castiel shouted, fingers digging into Dean's shoulder as he strained upwards.

Dean froze, wide-eyed, with an intake of breath, and Castiel grinned smugly as he snatched the remote from Dean’s grasp.

Dean swallowed hard, jaw working soundlessly for a few moments. “You cursed,” he murmured stiffly. “You never curse.”

“Yes, well, I’m angry!” Castiel turned back to him with a scowl, but he stopped when he saw the look on Dean’s face. Instead of switching the channel back, he turned the tv off, setting the remote down on the coffee table with a sigh. “Dean...what’s going on? You’ve been off for weeks, and that’s not like you. Please talk to me. Is it because you think I’d want a fancy promposal or something? Because I don’t. You could ask me to go to Prom the same way you ask me to hang out on a Saturday night and it would be perfect because it would be you. I know grand gestures and romantic requests aren’t your thing, Dean, I don’t expect them from you.”

Dean didn’t respond automatically, shifting beside Castiel and dropping his eyes to his lap, so Castiel reached out, laying one hand on top of Dean’s as he fidgeted restlessly. As much as Castiel wanted to urge Dean on, one thing he had learned about Dean was, if you pushed too hard, Dean would push back and run away, so Castiel patiently waited for Dean to reply.

“It’s stupid. I know--I know Bela didn’t mean anything by it…” Dean started, and Castiel’s brows rose, but he stayed quiet as Dean continued, “...but when we were dancing at Homecoming, she said...she said she wasn’t complaining that she won Homecoming Queen, but it was too bad you couldn’t be, like, my co-King instead. She wasn’t being unkind, but it just reminded me how much I hate it.”

“Hate what?” Castiel asked gently, rubbing his thumb in slow circles over the back of Dean’s hand.

“Everything for couples is aimed at couples that are a girl and boy. All of the commercials at Christmas and Valentines. And when I was looking at new shirts for the dance, I know the salesman meant well, but he said I should know the color of my date’s dress. When I was looking at boutonnieres, the cashier said I should be looking at corsages for my girlfriend instead. I hate it. I hate living somewhere where I have to be scared to say, ‘I have boyfriend’ because they can kick me out of the store for it. I hate that I have to be afraid to hold your hand out in public. I hate that people are shocked when they find I’m not heterosexual because I seem like such a ‘wholesome hometown hero’, whatever the hell that means. I hate that I have to worry that there are people who think the worst thing possible is that I love you and not that they hate us. And I know we go to a great school, 'cause no one acts like it’s weird or even special or anything. Everyone treats us like we’re any other couple, for the most part. I just wish there were more places like it.”

At Dean’s confession, Castiel felt all of his anger and frustration over the past few weeks melt away. “Dean…” he said quietly, leaning forward to press a kiss to Dean’s temple, “it’s not all going to change at once, as much as we might wish for it. And I get scared sometimes, too. But we’ll face things together. You and me.”

Dean nodded faintly, and Castiel pulled back, grinning. “Besides, it’s one dance. Just one with the Queen, and then I get to dance with the sexy Prom King for the rest of the night. I can live with that.” He chuckled, pulling Dean’s hand to his mouth and kissing his fingers. “Okay?”

Dean nodded again, pushing his hair back messily with his free hand. “Alright, I’ll think about it, at least.”

Castiel beamed at him, grabbing the remote again and turning the tv back on in time to witness the two characters dancing around one another in the bathroom as he settled against Dean's chest.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

What Castiel and Dean didn’t know was that Charlie and Jo overheard their conversation. They had no idea they were _conspiring_ . What was worse, they had no idea they were _recruiting_.

At first Dean and Castiel could ignore it, the times their friends seemed to always be quietly talking to other people in hushed voices, how they would quickly change topics when they got closer. But then it got plain annoying, and Dean was getting pissed off. Even Castiel was mildly miffed.

So when Victor and Benny snagged Dean on his way to the lunchroom and pushed him out toward the football field, Dean was ready to snap.

“So, brotha, ya planning on going ta Prom with Cas?” Benny drawled, throwing a friendly arm around Dean’s shoulders.

“I said I’d think about it.” Dean eyed the pair distrustfully, trying and failing to duck away with a frown.

“Why? All you’d have to do is ask him. I can guarantee he’d say yes,” Victor said with a smug smirk that made Dean inexplicably angrier.

“What’s it to you guys?” Dean demanded, finally pulling away and pinning them both with a glare.

“Not much,” Victor said, glancing at Benny. “But we both think you should get your guy.” Victor shoved a white sign and a small plush toy into Dean’s hand before Benny spun him around and pushed him back toward the building. “Go for it, loverboy!”

Dean growled, stalking toward the cafeteria and seriously considering spiking the sign and toy into the trashcan as he slipped in, he hoped, unnoticed. However, that sort of luck was not on Dean’s side, and music filtered over the speakers as his eyes landed on Castiel across the room as he argued with Jo and Charlie, the girls shoving a similar white poster board and a plastic container into his hands as they turned him toward the door.

As the words began, Dean and Castiel's eyes locked on one another and they froze.

 _Hey, handsome man, what’d you do last night?_  
_Did you have a good time, was the music alright?_  
_Did you wear that jacket with those deep blue jeans?_  
_I bet the boys went crazy, bet you caused a scene_  
_‘Cause everybody smiles when my handsome man walks by_

 _Say, handsome man, where you off to now?_  
_Are you out in the garden or off to town?_  
_Are there any new songs that you’re listening to?_  
_I’m gonna take you dancing when I come see you_  
  
_‘Cause everybody smiles when my handsome man walks by_  
_He’s got the wind in his hair and the stars all in his eyes_  
_The more I try to tell you, the more I get it wrong_  
_So, handsome man, I’ll tell you with a song_  
  
_That’s been hidden in the sand beneath the stones that once did spell our names_  
_A song that’s been stirring in the leaves and with the wind will come and swell the flames_  
_Once again, once again_

 _Handsome man, can I ask you this?_  
_I know we’ve both been loved and we’ve both been kissed_  
_But when the hounds are sleeping and we’re ninety-three_  
_Will you tell me the story of you and me_

 _And how everything changed when your handsome man walked by_  
_With his head in the clouds and the stars caught in his eyes_  
_When the world goes crazy and you forget where you belong_  
_Handsome man, I’ll tell you when there’s nothing left to sell you_  
_Handsome man, I’ll tell you with a song_

 _  
_ Dean felt a shove from behind propel him toward Castiel, just as Jo pushed him toward Dean, and Dean glared over his shoulder briefly at Benny and Victor before stumbling over to his boyfriend, an obvious victim as well.

“It--” Dean’s voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. “It looks like our friends have been plotting against us.”

Castiel nodded. “It would be a pity to let all of their work go to waste, don’t you think?” He peered up at Dean through his lashes, hope swelling in his chest as Dean worried at his lower lip with his teeth.

“Yeah, I guess so. Count of three?”

Castiel nodded again, pulling his sign up at the same time as Dean, peering at the poster board with mild disgust at Charlie and Jo’s cute little hearts carefully drawn on Dean’s, a bee buzzing across the page so that it read, “Will you bee my date for Prom?” with the bee in place of the word. Dean glanced down at the plush toy in his hands, finding a little fleecy black and yellow honeybee. Ah, that made sense.

But a glance at Castiel’s poster had Dean looking up with thinly veiled confusion. Beakers, test tubes, and flasks covered the board, a thin curl of smoke rising from a Bunsen burner into a heart shape, and it read, “Are you made of copper and tellurium? Because you’re CuTe! Be my date for Prom?”

Castiel looked down at the plastic container he’d been given, puzzled. “I don’t see what pie has to do with science.”

Jo groaned and threw her hands up, “You’re supposed to bribe him with the pie to say yes! Like, threaten to throw it away if he doesn’t!”

Dean gaped. “You wouldn’t dare throw away perfectly good pie!”

Castiel suddenly smirked, looking immensely pleased with himself. “I don’t know, Dean, it is pecan pie. I know you hate pecan pie, and I wouldn’t want to waste it on someone who doesn’t even want to go to Prom.”

Dean growled, frustrated as he snatched the pie from Castiel’s fingers, and thrust the soft bee toy into his open hand. “Yes, alright? Fine, I’ll go to Prom.” He turned to their usual table, sinking into his seat, and Castiel followed behind him a moment later, fingering the bee’s iridescent wings gently.

“Don’t do me any favors,” he teased, but he was secretly pleased, knowing that Dean’s blustering was to cover up his embarrassment. After all, Dean would never have asked this way. Still, Castiel appreciated his friends’ interference on his behalf.

Dean popped open the plastic container, reaching in for the slice of pie.

“Oh, come on, Winchester!” Jo grumbled, throwing a plastic utensil at him. “You’re not an animal, use a fork!”

Dean snorted, and just for that, he took a large bite, cheeks puffed out with food as he smiled at her to spite her.

Charlie whipped out her phone, cackling as she snapped a picture. “That’s going on Facebook!” she crowed, grinning widely.

Dean ignored her, chewing and swallowing before picking up the fork and cutting off a more reasonable-sized bite, turning to offer it to Castiel.

Victor laughed as he and Benny sat down at the table across from them. “That right there is true love! Dean Winchester is sharing pie!”

“Yeah, yuk it up,” Dean mumbled as Castiel opened his mouth and Dean slipped the pie in, watching Castiel’s lips close around the plastic tines as he finally relaxed for the first time in over a month.

What they didn’t know, however, was that the secret planning was not at an end.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The next couple of weeks passed with the same annoying announcements reminding people to get their votes for Prom King and Queen in, the same irritating reminder of this year’s theme. The difference was, now Dean seemed to take it a little more in stride, and Castiel was grateful for the change in his demeanor.

A trip to the mall took care of dress shirts and ties, swinging by a florist covered boutonnieres, and a stop at the barber, well--it mildly tamed Castiel’s wild locks.

But then the night of Prom was there, Chuck parking out front and walking Castiel up as Ellen swung the door open with a grin on her face.

“Chuck! Wonderful to see you again! And Castiel, don’t you look handsome!” the woman said cheerfully as Castiel stepped into the crowded living room, finding Charlie in a long strapless, backless green number split up her thigh with Gilda on her arm in a shorter light pink puffy gown cropped above her knee, covered in silver sequins. Also there was Jo in a black and silver cocktail-style gown on Victor’s arm, as well as Andrea in a beautiful white and gold gauzy gown, hand firmly entwined with Benny’s. A glance around told Castiel that Dean hadn’t joined them yet, and he fidgeted with his dark blue striped tie uselessly until he heard Dean’s soft laughter behind him. He turned, meeting Dean’s eyes with soft gasp. Dean looked...wonderful. His tie was a rich emerald green, done up neatly in an elegant woven knot Castiel could never hope to accomplish, seeing as he could barely manage a regular knot. Thankfully, Dean was there, and he reached forward, bracing his knuckles against Castiel’s throat for a moment as he adjusted the blue tie.

“You look good,” Dean finally managed, voice low as he leaned forward to press a chaste kiss to Castiel’s lips. A camera flash lit up the room, and Dean glared up at the culprit--Ellen. “Moooom,” Dean complained with exasperation, “are you going to take pictures of everything?” Ellen just smiled, wiping at her eyes, and Dean’s eyes widened slightly. “Please don’t tell me you’re crying over Prom.”

Ellen laughed and shook her head. “No, I’m getting ahead of myself is all. And you’re not getting out of this house without pictures! So pin on those flowers and smile!”

Dean rolled his eyes but obediently pinned a blue hydrangea with small baby’s breath to Castiel’s lapel before allowing Castiel to pin a pair of green mums with a spray of other greenery to his jacket.

After posing through countless photos, the couples tumbled into a limo, having sprung for a “fancier dinner” at a steakhouse in town, a dinner which didn’t last very long thanks to Benny’s decision to chow down on a steak cooked very, very rare.

Their arrival to Prom was welcomed with greetings called out from the front of the hotel where it was being held--a quick tilt backwards to check proved it to be a Hilton--and they waited patiently for their turn to take photos. For a moment, the photographer mistook Charlie for Dean’s date, and Gilda for Castiel’s, until Benny and Victor firmly put the poor photographer right, leaving the poor man slightly shaken.

Dean tried his best to ignore his friends’ antics as he pulled Castiel into the ballroom, peering around and scrunching his nose at the decorations.

“Happily ever after,” Dean mused, taking in the Disney-themed corners. He spotted Beauty and the Beast near the dance floor, the Princess and the Frog near the snacks and drinks, Tangled, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and a few others, and he immediately tugged Castiel toward the food.

“You’re hungry after Benny’s dinner?” Castiel laughed.

Dean grinned. “I’m always hungry! I want a beignet.”

“Whatever you say, Rapunzel,” Castiel snickered as Dean shoved the pastry into his mouth, and Dean poked the bitten end at him.

“Watch it, Snow White.”

Charlie and Gilda joined them, Benny, Andrea, Victor, and Jo on their heels.

“You think you’re funny,” Victor snorted as Dean took another large bite.

“I think I’m adorable!” Dean replied, mouth full, and Castiel rolled his eyes, handing him a cup of punch a moment later when he inevitably choked.

After snacking and chatting for a while, Castiel managed to get Dean on the dance floor, their jackets slung over chairs at a nearby table as they slowly swayed to “Lady in Red”.

“Man, this song is so cheesy,” Dean chuckled against Castiel’s temple. “But the lyrics aren’t totally wrong.” Castiel just nodded, clinging tighter to Dean.

As the song faded, Lisa Braden climbed up on the stage, the head organizer of Prom this year. “Okay, folks, now we’ve come to the part of the evening you’ve all been waiting for! Time to crown the Prom Royalty!” Cheers and applause erupted, but Dean frowned, pulling Castiel away from the crowd and toward the table.

“Where are we going, Dean?” Castiel asked, resisting.

“I just wanna sit this out, Cas, please,” Dean pleaded, even as he felt his friends crowding in around him.

“No way, brotha, ya gotta stay for this,” Benny grinned. “I swear, you won’t mind.”

Castiel glanced at Benny, who gave him an encouraging nod, so he took Dean’s hand and squeezed. “It’ll be okay, Dean. You’ll win, you’ll dance one dance, and then you’re mine again, remember? It’ll be fine.”

Lisa grinned out over the crowd, Bela bringing up the crowns, sashes, and two envelopes. As Lisa slid her fingernail under the flap of one, she leaned toward the microphone. "We all have our bets placed? Ten seconds to go here, folks. And tonight’s Prom King is...Dean Winchester!”

The clapping was loud around them, people reaching out to slap at Dean’s back and and shoulders as his friends pushed him toward the stage. Bela smiled brightly at him as she draped one sash over him, “Prom King”, and dropped the plastic crown on his head, giving him a hug.

“Now, normally this would be where we would be naming the Prom Queen,” Lisa said, sliding her nail under the flap of the second envelope, and opening the paper up to take a quick peek, “however, this year by an overwhelming vote of the school, we’re doing something a little different this year. As a community, we have come together to do something very special, and I couldn’t be more proud of us.”

Castiel looked around, confused, glancing at his friends and hoping for an answer before meeting Dean’s eyes, who looked back with an equally perplexed expression as he shrugged.

“Instead of a Prom Queen, I would like to introduce you to this year’s Prom Co-King, Castiel Novak!”

The ballroom erupted into screams, Castiel vaguely aware that Charlie was near-violently shaking him in her excitement as the crowd propelled him forward to the stage. But all Castiel could see was the stunned expression on Dean’s face, the slow spread of a smile as what had happened dawned on him, and he honed in on that, crossing the stage to Dean’s side as his boyfriend stared at him in wonder. The pair of them were barely aware of Bela draping a matching sash over Castiel’s head and balancing a second crown on his head.

“Now,” Lisa said, when the crowd finally quieted down minutes later, “everyone else knows what happened here. But I’m sure the happy couple would love to know, too, right?” She nudged Dean, who looked up, slightly startled. He managed a nod.

“Dean, Castiel, you are two of the kindest people I have ever met. Almost everyone is your friend, and you have their back without question. Dean, you’re brave, a fierce competitor, and you love unconditionally. Castiel, you’re bright, giving, and loyal. Both of you are amazing, despite having lost both of your parents. You never let that pain dull you or change you. You’ll go far in life, and you deserve to have all of your dreams come true and have your happily ever after. And if we can help, even a little bit, by letting Dean have his dance as Prom King with Castiel at his side, well, you deserve it. Both of you do. Congratulations!”

The crowd screamed again, deafening cheers as Dean took Castiel’s hand and led him back out onto the dance floor with a shy smile as Darren Hayes’ “So Beautiful” played over the speakers. Dean was dimly aware that all around them, classmates were taking pictures and videos, but all that mattered to him in that moment was the boy in front of him, the boy he loved more than anything.

Castiel was his life. Castiel was his future. Dean knew that, could see it clearly, after everything they had survived together. So maybe, just maybe…

_Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak are good enough after all._

**Author's Note:**

> As far as I'm concerned, the No Good 'verse is complete. I can't guarantee I won't ever add to it, but I really don't have any forthcoming plans, and I have other fics that need work.
> 
> Handsome Man by Matt Alber is an AMAZING song. Go listen to it!
> 
> Also, if you're wondering why Castiel's sign for Dean is science-themed, please read the previous two fics in this verse for a hint. Additionally, if you're wondering why Dean refers to Ellen as "Mom", please refer to the previous fic in this series.


End file.
